Automatic control for washing machines



Nov. 16, 1948. P. M. PAPPAS AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR WASHING MACHINES 2' She'etsSheet 1 Filed July 19, 1944 F m m 7 /211190 M. Pap was.

NOV. 16, 1948. p, m'p pp s AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR WASHING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 19, 1 944 2 4 M M 3 9 g 4 4 4 J r v wwfi W N l Ii +4 o I 4 e n 7 1 x u J 1 n if! k= q E f I m d .I .Ii I I. rig O 5 I a 1|l|.|l,. ma I ll l "5 O Q I m M 3 w H w." 3 1 O M w 4 Patented Nov. 16, 1948 AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR WASHING MACHINES Phillip M. Pappas, Houston, Tex.

Application July 19, 1944, Serial No. 545,586 6 Claims. (01. 200-531 This invention relates to an automatic control for washing machines.

An object of the invention is the provision of Q novel and eflicient means for easily controlling and timing the thorough washing of dishes and the like.

Another object of the invention is to equip a standard dishwashing machine with novel means for timing the washing and the rinsing of the dishes or the like.

A further object of the invention is the provision of novel and efilcient means that is set for action when the door of the dishwashing machine is in its open position, and then when the dishes are placed in the machine and the door closed, the washingv will automatically proceed for a predetermined length of time, and then the washing action will be stopped, whereupon the rinsing is automatically accomplished for a predetermined time, whereupon the dishes are thoroughly cleaned and sterilized.

This application discloses certain improvements over the structures. disclosed in my two prior applications for U. S. patents, to wit: Dish washing machine, filed June 29, 1943, Ser. No. 492,765, and Timing device, filed June 29, 1943, Ser. No. 492,766.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a dish washing machine showing my invention attached thereto, while Figure 2 is a front view thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3, Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4, Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.-

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 5-5, Figure 3 and looking in the direc- I tion of the arrows.

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 8-6, Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the upper or primary trigger device.

Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the lower or auxiliary trigger device.

Figure 9- is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 9-9, Figure 8 and looking in the direc-' tion of the arrows.

Figure 10 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the door and arm carried thereby.

Figure 11 is an end view of the upper or primary trigger device.

Figure 12 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line l2-l2, Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line I 3-l3, Figure 11 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 14 is a vertical sectional view through the lower end of the piston and the valve construction thereof.

I Figure 15 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the guide bearing of the cylinder.

Figure 16 is a, vertical sectional view through the cylinder showing a modified form of control means for the piston thereof, for providing precise adjustment of timing without taking the cylinder apart.

Referring to the drawings, in which the preferred form of this invention is illustrated, i I

designates a washing machine, which is provided with a vertically movable door 2 and with a motor 3. My invention comprises a casing 4 in which is positioned a cylinder 5 that rests upon the bottom of said casing 4. A piston 6, preferably in the nature of a rod-like unit, slides through the guide bearing 3 which is on the top of cylinder 5. This guide bearing is externally screw threaded, and is provided with a spiral-like groove 8 which permits oil accumulating in the portion 9 to pass down and into the cylinder 5, Fig. 15. l

The piston 6 is provided with a ball I 0; this ball is provided with an upper bevelled portion i I and a lowerbevelled portion I 2, for the purpose hereinafter described. I use the term ball in a broad sense, meaning any like element performing similar functions. The ball is secured in an adjusted position upon piston 6 by means of the screw l3 (Fig. 4). An upper or primary trigger device is mounted in the upper part of casing 4 and comprises a horizontal rod l4 that has its ends journalled in bearings l5, Fig. 3. Integral with rod I4 is a flat elongated body It that has at one end an outwardly-extending horizontal arm I! and at its other end a depending finger complishing an efiicient result.

Screw H! has a lock collar 23 (Fig. 11),"wheree by the screw can be adjusted to a nicety, for ac,-

An integral bracket 2% depends from the under face of body it and an adjustable rod-like tit 25 extends through said bracket 24. A screw it is provided for securing the tit in an adjusted position upon said bracket. The outer end of the tit rides over the ball ill. When the device is in its set position, the tit engages the lower bevelled surface i2, Fig. 4, holding the device in its set position, which position is obtained by raising the door 2; this door is slldably connected to piston 5 by an angular arm 21, as will be clearly seen upon referring to Figures 6 and 10. When the door is raised to its full open position, the sleeve-like portion 28 of arm 21 will engage lock collar 25 that is in an adjusted position near the upper end of the piston 6; thus as the door 2 is raised the piston n will be raised in the casing t until the outer end of the tit 25 rests in the position shown clearly in Figure 4. In this locked position the ball [Iii is held until the door is closed, causing the upper end of rod to be engaged by arm 27! (Fig. 10), whereupon the downward pressure exerted upon rod 30 will cause the fixed collar ill to depress coil spring 32 against bracket 33, permitting the primary trigger device to swing downwardly, thus clearing tit 25 from the ball iii which allows the piston to move slowly downwardly. When the primary trigger device moves downwardly, finger ill will be sprung inwardly, whereupon the head 28 of screw it will press inwardly on the button 2 i, closing the circuit in switch box 22 and causing motor 3 to operate. This operation means that the dish washing is taking place in the machine i. This dish washing action continues until the ball l0 contacts the auxiliary horizontal finger 3 of the lower or auxiliary trigger device, Fig. 8. The auxiliary finger is mounted upon the vertical rod 35 and is held in an adjusted position by screw 35, Fig. 9. On the upper end of vertical rod 35 is a primary finger 311. When the ball contacts finger 3d, swinging it slightly, this movement will cause the outer end of finger fail to actuate the button 38, Fig. 4, whereupon the circuit will be broken and the motor will stop the washing action. Then the ball iii will be engaging the roller 39, Fig. l, which is rotatably mounted on the inner end or arm dd; this arm id is pivotally mounted at ii on bracket 32 of the rinsing valve 43. After the roller at has passed over the bevelled surface ii of ball W, the valve 43 is open, and as the roller 39 travels over the central portion of ball iii. which is unbevelled, the rinsing and sterilizing of the articles, such as dishes, in the machine i is taking place. It is to be understood that valve 33 is provided with a valve plunger 44, which is contacted at its outer end by adjustable screw 45 that is mounted upon the rocking arm Ml. Thus it will be seen that when the arm 4c is pushed down by the ball Hi that valve plunger M will be depressed, whereupon the valve will be opened, permitting the water to be discharged into the machine l, for the rinsing and sterilizing action.

The inner end of the rod-like piston t is provided with a compartment d6 (Fig. 14) which is open at its lower end. Auxiliary ports i'll are formed in the piston 6 together with ports M3. The exterior of the piston 6 is screw threaded at this portion and on this screw threaded portion is an adjustable collar 49. An adjustable sleeve is threaded upon the lower end of the piston 6; this sleeve 50 is provided with an annular flange 5i against which one end of coil spring 52 bears, whereas the other end bears against the under face of the head or disc 53; this disc 53 is slidably lit lid

till:

till

- d mounted on sleeve 50. When the piston Bis moving downward, the disc 53 will be against the collar (it. In this position the oil in cylinder 5 will have to pass up through sleeve 50 into compartment t5 and through ports 48. Thus the downward movement of the piston 6 is slow, being timed to suit the washing action in machine I. If the operator desires to increase the downward movement of piston it, he can accomplish this result by means of the structure shown in the embodiment in Figure 16. A pipelid is placed on the cylinder 5 with its lower end communicating with the lower portion of the cylinder and its upper end communicating with the interior of the cylinder above the disc or piston head 53. A valve 55 is placed on pipe 5 whereby the operator can control the flow of oil as desired.

It will be understood that the amount of oil discharged through the ports 68 can be controlled by the operator screwing or rotating the. collar st to cause it to move upwardly, whereby ports Q8 can be partly closed or covered to reduce the amount of oil to be passed therethrough. When the piston 5 is in its lowest position within cylinder 5 and the operator pulls upwardly on the piston, disc 53 will move downwardly against the action or spring 52 clearing port 4'! which allows the oil above the disc 55 to pass through this port as well as ports 55', hastening the raising of the piston it, either by manual exertion directly thereon, or by reason of raising door 2.

When the ball unit iii is in its upper or set position the arm ill of the primary trigger device will be resting against the fixed collar 3! and said primary trigger device cannot move or swing downwardly until the rod 3U is pushed inwardly. Therefore, when in the set position, as clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and the machine is inactive, but is ready to operate immediately upon the closing of door 2. In other words, the action of the machine is entirely automatic, whereby the closing of the door results in the starting of the motor for the washing action to be followed by the stopping of the motor and the actuating of the valve for permitting the rinsing and sterilizing action of the articles in the machine l.

Any oil on the piston 6, above the cylinder 5, can run down and pass into the cylinder as explained hereinbeiore and illustrated particularly'in Figure 15.

It is to be understood that the auxiliary trigger device is pivotally mounted on brackets 56, Fig. 4. Suitable bearings are provided on these brackets 5G for retaining the vertical rod 35 in an eflicient operating position.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention and illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, certain minor changes or alterations may appear to one skilled in the art to which this invention relates, during the extensive manufacture of the same and I, therefore, reserve the right to make such alterations or changes as shall fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an automatic control for washing machines. the combination of a casing, a cylinder in said casing, a plunger on said cylinder, a ball unit on said plunger, a primary trigger device in said casing and normally engaging said ball unit when said plunger is in a set position, an auxiliary trigger device in said casing and being operated by said ball unit, and a manually operated lock on said casing for normally holding the primary trigger device against action.

2. In an automatic control for washing machines, the combination of a casing, a timing device in said casing including a plunger, a primary trigger device in said casing, said plunger provided with means normally engaging said trigger device when said plunger is in a raised condition, a vertically slidable rod extending through a portion of said casing, a bracket in said casing with the inner end of said rod working therein, said rod provided with a fixed collar normally bearing against a portion of said primary trigger device, a -pring on said rod between said bracket and fixed collar, switch means associated with said casing, a rinsing valve associated with said casing, and said switch means and rinsing valve and plunger provided with means whereby when the plunger moves to predetermined positions, said switch means and rinsing valve will be successively operated.

3. In an automatic control for washing machines, the combination or a casing, a cylinder provided with a plunger in said casing, a ball on said plunger, a switch on said casing, a rinsing valve on said casing, a primary trigger device in said casing and provided with means for engaging and holding said ball in a fixed position and with means also !or engaging and initially operating said switch, an auxiliary trigger device in said casing, said rinsing valve provided,with an ,actuating arm extending into said casing and in the path of movement of said ball, and said ball of the plunger being adapted to operate said auxili ary trigger device to actuate a switch for stopping a motor and then operate said actuating arm of the rinsing valve.

4. In an automatic control for washing machines, the combination of a hydraulic timing de- 'vice including a primary trigger device, said trigger device comprising a rod having a flat body ,extending therefrom, said body provided at one end with an outwardly extending arm, and at its opposite end with a, depending linger, said body provided with an integral depending bracket, an adjustable rod-like tit in said bracket, and said depending linger provided with an adjustable screw having a head on its inner end.

5. In an automatic control for washing machines, the combination of a casingprovided with a cylinder and a sliding piston thereon, a plurality of trigger devices in said casing, said piston provided with mean'soperating said trigger devices,

with said primary trigger device and positively operating said auxiliary trigger device and said valve.

PHILLIP M. PAPPAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Namev Date 107,178 Keane Sept. 6, 1870 446,426 Bryon, Jr. Feb. 17, 1891 481,498 Kremelberg Aug. 23, 1892 784,821 White Mar 14, 1905 951,312 Hartman Mar. 8, 1910 960,602 Turnbull June 7, 1910 1,024,165 Waite Apr. 23, 1912 1,112,641 Moeller Oct. 6, 1914 1,187,132 Teetor Jan, 4, 1916 1,202,082 McCorkle Oct. 24, 1916 1,235,261 Waite July 31, 1917 1,480,170 1 Logan Jan. 8, 1924 1,484,768 Fouts Feb. 26, 1924 1,739,404 Lutolt Dec. 10, 1929 1,885,055 Barber Oct. 25, 1932 1,888,805 Peterson Nov. 22, 1932 1,980,064 Johnston Nov. 6, 1934 2,058,083 Johnston ,Oct. 20, 1936 2,146,433 Jackson Feb. 7, 1939 2,148,891 Applegarth Feb. 28, 1939 2,180,035 Cleghorn Nov. 14, 1939 1,189,296 Askow Feb. 6, 1940 2,195,615 Chamberlin et al. Apr. 2, 1940 2,311,108 Hauser Feb. 16, 1943 2,314,382 Ferris Mar. 23, 1943 2,338,804 Drane Jan. 11, 1944 2,374,590 Dunham Apr. 24, 1945 2,424,623 Monsarrat July 29, 1947 

